Apparatus for delivering flat elements one at a time, more especially for delivering envelopes to an obliterating machine



June 11, 1935. A. VORMS ,882

'APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING FLAT, ELEMENTS ONE AT A TIME, MORE ESPECIALLY FOR DELIVERING ENVELOPES TO AN OBLITERATING MACHINE Filed Jan. 30, 1953 2 Sheets-Shet 1" A. VoRMs 2,004,882 NTS ONE AT A TIME, MORE ESPECIALLY FOR DELIVERING ENVELOPES TO AN OBLITERATING MACHINE June 11, 1935.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING FLAT ELEME Filed Jan. 30, 1933 LI u .L

Patented June 11, 1935 APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING FLAT ELE- MENTS ONE AT A TIME, MORE ESPECIAIH "LY FORDELIVERING ENVELOPES TO AN OBLITERATING MACHINE I Armaml vorms, Paris, France, assignor to Societe de lOutillage R. B. V.

(Socit Anonyme francais) Paris, France Application January 30, 1933, Serial No. 654,286 In Luxemburg February 2, 1932 V 'ZCIaims. "I'his'inventionirelates to an apparatus designed .to .deliverone at a time flat elements or objects apreviously stacked, such as envelopes and it has also for its object the combination of an apparatus of that kind withan obliterating machine.

w This apparatus according. to the present invention is essentially characterized bythe arrangement otat least one air suction valve having a reciprocating motion which when in its first position engages the first envelope of the pileand'which is connected with a vacuum source such a manner that a suction is produced at the .valve mouth during the forward stroke so that during said stroke the envelope which adheres :to the air suction valve is carried along bysame.

:According to a first mode .of execution in which a resilientzairsuction valve of rubberv for instance,

isaused', another characteristic of the invention consists in that the alternatemovement of said "valveiis combined withtwo'movements taking place'transversely to the first. at the end of every forward and returnstroke, in such a manner that thcair suction valve first engages itself the first envelope of the pile and effectively .dise'ngages itself from'same when it has carried it'to the de- Acc'ordinguto another mode of construction in which a rigid airasuction valve, a metal valve for instance, is used, the latter efiectsa rectilinear reciprocating movement only and in the case when the envelopes are placed on, edge, another feature of the present invention consists in that "the whole of the envelopes are pressed. towards the airsuction valve by means of a movable wall .orashutte'r continuously acted upon by a weight or the like, a. return device which may be actuated .at willaby' the operator :being provided to move said :shutter backwards. when all the envelopes ,have been delivered.

. Another feature oftheinventionconsists against a movable or a stationary vslide provided 1 with .a longitudinal opening designed to allow the free movements of the air suction valve.

In thehase of. a movable slide the samel'consistsin two 'movable. endlessbands which support the envelope, during its travel under the action of the air suction valve or valves. f

Concerning the feeding of the air suction valve a vacuum source, according to a preferred mode of execution, an important, feature of the present invention consists in that the valve support is coupled with a piston reciprocating in a in the ,fact that the pile of envelopes is supported cylinderin communication with the air suction valve so that the necessary suction is produced simultaneously with the forward stroke of the air suction valve.

Inthe case of an air suction valve which accomplishes the compound movement as above indicated, the cylinder is connected at its lower part with the air suction valve by means of a flexible pipe.

In the case of an air suction valve which accomplishes' merely an alternate rectilinear movement, said valve is advantageously connected with the inside of the cylinder through a passage formed in-the piston and extended by a rigid pipe acting as support 'for thevalve.

In order to assist in separating the air suction valve from the envelope at the end of the stroke,

theremay be formed in the cylinder wall, according to the present invention openings communicating with the atmosphere which are closed by the piston at the end of the forward. stroke.

In the case of the combination of the above delivery apparatus with a machine ior obliterat-.

ing envelopes, an essential feature otthe present invention consists in that the path of the envelope ends at a point which is located beyond the ,feeding elements-of the machine, in orderto facilitate the separation from the air suction valve, this allowing the use of a metal air suction valve moving simply in a straight line withoutthe necessity of providing in the cylinder .the"-ori- 'fices of communication with the atmosphere at I the end of the stroke of the piston which moves jointly with the air suction valve.

The obliterating drum itself may constitute one of the feed devices of the machine the other one being constituted-by the endless band carrier.

Other characteristic details of." the invention will appear as this specification proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings which 11- t lustrate by way of example two' pra'ctical constructional forms of the delivery apparatus "ac cording to my invention.

Figs. 1 to '5' 'llustrate a Fig. l is a front View, some parts being shown in section on line 3-3, Fig. 3.

Fig. 2 is a sectional View made along the broken line 2-2 in Fig. 4.

Fig. 3 is a plan view, certain parts being omitted; t

Fig. 4 is another front elevation corresponding to an operative position different from that shown in Fig. 1, some parts being omitted. i

Fig. 5 is a diagram which illustrates the operation of certain parts of the machine.

first mode of execution.

The envelopes are designedto be obliterated as they pass between two devices the first being'constituted by a printing drum 2 and the other by another drum or as shownby two bands 4 having a translating motion. 7

The device provided for delivering one by one Q the envelopes to be obliterated comprises one air suction valve 3 at least, made of india rubber for instance and having a reciprocating'movement as will be hereinafter explained.

In the case when the envelopes are stacked in a Vertical pile as shown in Fig. 1, the air suction valve 3 is placed under the last envelope in the pile that rests upon the two bands 4 already mentioned which are carried upon two sets of pulleys 5, 6 with a clearancebetween them to allow the free movements of the air suction valve.

It will be evident that in the case of the feeding drum being arranged to co-operate with the obliterating drum 2 the bands being consequently omitted, the pile of envelopes may be supported upon a smooth table provided with a slot to allow the passage of the air suction valve. 7

The air suction valve may also beplaced above the uppermost envelope, the pile of envelopes being then supported'upon a movable bottom devised in such a manner that the said uppermost envelope always remains sensibly on the same level.

When the envelopes are put in juxtaposition vertically for instance, the air suction valve would beplaced upon one or the other end surface of the pile. Fig. 1 then corresponds to aplan view of this arrangement.

The bands 4 are preferably made of resilient material and one set of pulleys is advantageously mounted upon a movable frame 1, preferably pivoted so as to allow of adjusting the tension ;of the bands by means of a screw 8.

- Thetwo remaining pulleys 6 are secured either upon a common shaft or upon two shafts placedin alignment and capable of being driven either manually by-means of a hand lever In or .by-a motor, the common axis of said shafts being ad- :vantageously below that of the printing drum '2.

The magazine in which the envelopes to be obliterated are contained is advantageously provided on the delivery side with a movable wall I I the vertical movements of which may be controlled by means of a screw I2 so as to allow of adjusting the space between the lower edge of said wall and the bands 4 according to the thickness of the envelopes; The said edge is preferably provided with a flexible band I3 of india rubber for example, which may itself be displaced vertically upon the wall I I by means-of a screw I4. The magazine may be constituted by the wall II only and another wall 31 perpendicular to the first and integral with the machine frame.

It will be advantageous in. that case to give a slight inclination to the bands 4, or to the whole of the machine in such a way that the corresponding edges of the envelopes may always bear upon the walls I I and 31.

The air suction valve 3 which is connected with a vacuum source hereinafter described, by means of aflexible pipe I5 for example is carried upon a guide I6 driven by a connecting rod I9 drawn by a crank pin I9 which rotates with the pulleys 6 to effect a sliding reciprocating movement. The crank pin I9 is secured for example upon the pulley 6' which is secured upon the shaft .9 on the one part, and upon'fa part 20 secured upon shaft 9 on the other part. In this manner the shafts 9 and 9 are connected together while allowing the movements of the connecting rod I9.

The air suction valve 3 is slidingly mounted inthe guide I6 so as to be able to move away from its operative plane, by the intermediary of suitabledriving means and to return at the end of its return stroke.

To this end the air suction valve rod may be pivotally mounted for example upon a lever 29 itself pivoted to one end of a bent arm 2| which duces on the one part the feeding of thebands'4 and, on the other part, the alternate movements of the air suction valve along a path A B C D in Fig. 5, A and B corresponding respectively to the moment when the said air suction valve'engages' the envelope to be delivered and to the moment when it frees it, and the path C D corresponding to the return stroke of said air suction. valve..

During the stroke A- B the air suction valve is fed from a vacuum source which may. be separate from the apparatus and in that .caseclap valves suitably actuated at both ends .of the stroke are provided, but it will be preferable tozmake use of the following device. :1

The connecting rod I9 which actuates 'the'air suction valve guide I6 by means of a spur.'2| sliding in a slot in said guide is connected with a piston 26 mounted in a stationary cylinder..." 1

the inside of which is put in communication through the flexible pipe I5 with theair suction valve 3. This cylinder is provided with orifices. 29 connecting it with the atmosphere,'and.which.-are designed to be uncovered whenthe' piston comes in the position corresponding to the moment when the air suction valve reaches point B..-. The orifices 29 may eventually be controlled by means of an annular perforated shutter 30. I They. may be if necessary connected with an air compressor in order to cause the vacuumefiect. to cease. very rapidly at this end of the air suction valvecourse.

It will easily be seen that the .lastenvelope in the pile is engaged by the valve through the vacuum effect created by the movement of the piston when said valve itself moves from A to B. At the end of the stroke the orifices 29 are uncovered and the vacuum efl'ect ceases so that the air suction valve is instantaneously set free} At wilopa's may: be received in baskets or take'mup by suitableatransporting means.-

.. i'ltriwill be evident 1 that tin this" mode wot: ex-

caution the movements oi theair'isuction valve may be produced in suchamanner that during path.- A- B the itranslating speed of the air reaction valve is equal to 'thatof the' bands- =4 and it will .also be evident that several i ai'r suction 1 In-the'mode of: construction 'Fi'gs. -'6 '57 the envelopes are: placed on edge against of a. rope-44 which passes *upon a puny.

Aisecondiwpe-diz isiattached to the shutter 4i, it passes upon a zstationarywpulley '41. and: then.

upon a loose pulley? l8lformihg twosubstantially parallel strands and it is lastly secured at a .point Th'epulley 48 is carried upon a lever 50, pivoted at 5| upon which is attached, between said pulley and said pivot a rope 52 which passing upon a return pulley 53 is secured at its other end to a foot lever 54 pivoted at 55.

It will be understood that when it is desired to move back the shutter M for adding new envelopes to the pile or to replace the pile by another, it will be suflicient to lower the foot lever 54. There will thus be produced, with a large multiplication, a backward movement of the end of the rope 46, that is secured to the shutter and consequently the backward movement of same which puts the weight under tension.

The air suction valve against which the pile of envelopes comes to rest is slightly in front of a vertical plate extending along the whole front of the machine the first envelope in the pile being moved by the air suction valve in parallel with said bar.

The vertical edges of all the prepared envelopes bear upon a wall 51 perpendicular to the plate 56 and ending in a small metal shutter 58 pivoted at 59 acted upon by a spring 60 designed to resiliently press it against said plate so that only 'the envelope which is guided by the air suction valve may pass beyond this obstacle.

In this mode of execution the air suction valve is preferably made of metal and is rigidly connected to a piston 6| ,-having its axis in parallel with the plate 56-, by means of a conduit 62 which ending in a passage 63 in said piston connects said valve with the inside of the stationary cylinder in which the piston moves.

The piston BI is connected by means of a connecting rod 65 with a crank pin 66 secured upon a hand wheel 61 acting as a roller which is designed to move the envelope fed by the air suction valve towards the obliterating device, said roller being rotated for example by means of a hand lever or by a motor.

The plate 56 is cut out in orderto allow the movements of the air suction valve which in the present case accomplishes merely a reciprocating rectilinear movement. It is moreover cut out to provide for the forward movement of the roller 61 and of a second roller 68.

The roller 61 is integral with a gear 69 which drives a gear wheel 10 driving in its turn another toothed wheel H integral with the stationary roller 68. The middle wheel 10 drives also another toothed wheel 12 which drives two wheels 13 and I4 placed one on either side. These toothed wheels 13, 14 which are integral respectively withfa roller 15 and with the printing difklm Hi are 'carried as well 'as both said roller drum upon two frames 11,. 18' pivotally mounted upon the-axis 19 of the-Wheel 12. These frames are preferably acted upon by a spring flfl; 61; which te'nds to press the roller 15 'andthe print- .ing drum-16 respectively upon theroller 6 and upon the roller 6'8 while allowing the envelopes to come between'said parts whatever theirthickn'ess. may be. The printing drum 16 is-fed -by the hollow drum-:82 which is carried upon a :piv-

oted support 83 drawn by 'a 1spring84: to ensure the engagement withtthe said drum l6; i

The mode of operation is as fo-llows; 1 "When 'ithe air 'suctionivalve iscin itsstarting position the first envelopein .the ipileais pressed againstthe opening-of the said valve lbyumeans of 'theshutter M. and. as'soon asithe rol'lerG'I begins to rotateythe piston 6.1;v actuated bythc connecting rod 63 .causeswthe lairasuctio'n valve which is drawing :.alon'g theI-enve'lopeto move forward owingitosthe .fact. that the pistonsli l. produces in the cylinder 64 a suction which ensures the close engagement of the air suction valve and the envelope.

The envelope passes beyond the small shutter 58 and comes between the rollers 61 and 15. .At that instant, the forward stroke of the piston being ended, the envelope continues its movement under the action of the said rollers which rotate at the same circumferential speed and consequently comes off the air suction valve which will henceforth accomplish its return stroke to take a new envelope.

It will be observed that owing to the fact that the air suction valve is metallic, it does not stick of itself. to the envelope and that consequently the traction exerted by the rollers 15-61 upon the envelope easily produces a slight loosening which instantaneously causes a total disengagement due to the vacuum space 40-5263--64 being put in communication with the atmosphere. It will therefore be seen that the operation takes place in the same satisfactory. manner as in the first instance without utilizing the movement B C and C D of the air suction valve or the cylinder orifices 29.

The enevelope on leaving the rollers 61|5 enters between the roller 68 and the drum [6 where it is obliterated.

The roller 68 and the drum 16 cause the en- I velope to. advance, it then comes in front of the and modification without departing from the 1 spirit of the invention I thereforev do not wish to be limited to\ the precise details of construction set forth but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A device to distribute previously stacked envelopes to an obliterating machine which comprises: a cylinder provided with only one end, a piston alternately movable in said cylinder, a suction cup connected rigidly to this piston and establishing communication thereof, through a continuous passage, with the interior of the cylinder behind thepiston, a shutter disposedbehind the stack ,of envelopes, said shutter being movable parallel with the plane of theopening .of r the suction cup and toward; said opening throughthe action of a cable drawn by a counterweight, a second cable attached to this shutter, in opposition to'the first-mentioned cable,

1 said second cable being attached at the other end bring the shutter to the rear for to a fixed point after having passed over a pulley mounted on an oscillating lever, and a pedal connected by a transmission'to said lever to oscillate the latter in a direction-which produces traction on'the second cable through the movement ofthe pulley carried by this lever, so as to placing a new stack of envelopes in position.

2. In an obliterating machine: a roller (61), integral with a rotary gear (69), a second gear ('10) actuated by the preceding vgear, a third gear (1|) actuated by the second and integral with a second roller (68), a fourth gear (12) actuated by the second, a shaft (19) for this gear, two supports (11, 18)xpivoted on said ahatt, a fifth gear (13) :and a-.-sixth' gear (14); each mounted on one of these supports and meshing with the fourth gear (12) a third roller ("Lintegral with the fifth gear'flil) anda spring (88) exerting traction on the support (11) ofthe latter in the direction-.01 contact with' this roller (13) withthe first roller (61), a printingicylinder (16) integral with thezsixth'gear, :(.14)xand .a spring (8|) exerting traction -on the support ARMAND voanks.

10 x (18) of this gearinthe direction of contactfloi' 

